The Love Unlimited Orchestra
| Company type | Musical ensemble |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1972 |
| Founder | Barry White |
| Defunct | 1983 |
Area served | United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada |
| Products | Albums, singles |
The Love Unlimited Orchestra was a string-heavy ensemble consisting of 40 members, established by American vocalist Barry White. It primarily functioned as the backing band for White and the female singing group Love Unlimited.[1] Beginning in the early 1970s, the orchestra also produced singles and albums credited to their own name.[1]
Career
Created in 1972 to provide instrumental support for Love Unlimited's initial album,[1] the orchestra went on to accompany Barry White's solo debut, I've Got So Much to Give, released in 1973.[1]
Their most notable success was the 1973 instrumental track "Love's Theme", composed by Barry White. The single attained the number 1 spot on US charts and climbed to number 10 in the UK.[2] In February 1974, it was honored with a gold certification by the RIAA.[2] This composition appeared on their first album, Rhapsody in White (1974).[1]
Later that same year, two additional albums were released: the soundtrack for Together Brothers and White Gold. The latter included the track "Satin Soul," which reached number 22 on the Billboard pop chart in early 1975.[3] In 1976, saxophonist Kenny Gorelick—who would later be known as Kenny G—became part of the group,[1] and Ray Parker Jr. was also among its members during the mid-1970s.[1]
Throughout the late 1970s, the orchestra recorded under 20th Century Records before transitioning to Barry White’s label, Unlimited Gold, by 1981. That year’s second album, Welcome Aboard, featured contributions from composer and arranger Webster Lewis. Their final studio release was Rise, which came out in 1983.[1]
Albums
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Record label | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | AUS | CAN | UK | ||||
| 1974 | Rhapsody in White | 8 | 2 | 26 | 7 | 50 | 20th Century | |
| Together Brothers (soundtrack) | 96 | 33 | — | — | — | |||
| White Gold | 28 | 10 | 93 | 52 | — |
| ||
| 1975 | Music Maestro Please | 94 | 14 | — | — | — | ||
| 1976 | My Sweet Summer Suite | 123 | 35 | — | — | — | ||
| 1978 | My Musical Bouquet | — | 53 | — | — | — | 20th Century Fox | |
| 1979 | Super Movie Themes: Just a Little Bit Different | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1981 | Let 'Em Dance | — | — | — | — | — | Unlimited Gold | |
| Welcome Aboard | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1983 | Rise | — | — | — | — | — | ||
Singles
1981 "Welcome Aboard" — — — 59 — — — Welcome Aboard 1982 "Night Life in the City" — — — — — — — 1983 "Do It to the Music... Please" — — — — — — — Rise 1983 "My Laboratory (Is Ready for You)" — — — — — — —| Year | Title | Highest chart rankings | Certifications | Album | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
US R&B |
US A/C |
US Dan |
AUS |
CAN |
UK | ||||
| 1973 | "Love's Theme" | 1 | 10 | 1 | — | 9 | 1 | 10 |
|
Rhapsody in White |
| 1974 | "Rhapsody in White" | 63 | 48 | — | — | — | 63 | — | ||
| 1974 | "Theme from Together Brothers" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Together Brothers | |
| 1974 | "Baby Blues" | 102 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Rhapsody in White | |
| 1975 | "Satin Soul" | 22 | 23 | — | 1 | — | 54 | — | White Gold | |
| 1975 | "Forever in Love" | — | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | Music Maestro Please | |
| 1975 | "Midnight Groove" | 108 | 91 | — | 15 | — | — | — | ||
| 1976 | "My Sweet Summer Suite" | 48 | 28 | — | 1 | — | — | — | My Sweet Summer Suite | |
| 1976 | "Brazilian Love Song" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1977 | "Theme from King Kong (Part 1)" | 68 | 15 | — | 7 | — | — | — | Super Movie Themes: Just a Little Bit Different | |
| 1978 | "Hey Look at Me, I'm in Love" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | My Musical Bouquet | |
| 1979 | "Theme from Shaft" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Super Movie Themes: Just a Little Bit Different | |
| 1980 | "Young America" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Let 'Em Dance | |
| 1980 | "I Wanna Boogie and Woogie with You" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1981 | "Vieni Qua Bella Mi" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1981 | "Lift Your Voice and Say (United We Can Live in Peace Today)" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||